1. Field of The Invention
This invention relates to a novel synthetic crystalline molecular sieve composition which may contain framework +3 valence element, e.g. aluminum, +4 valence element, e.g. silicon, and +5 valence element, e.g. phosphorous, and to use thereof in catalytic conversion of organic compounds. The crystalline composition of this invention exhibits ion-exchange properties and can easily be converted to catalytically active material.
2. Description of Prior Art
Zeolitic materials, both natural and synthetic, have been demonstrated in the past to have catalytic properties for various types of hydrocarbon conversion. Certain zeolitic materials are ordered, porous crystalline aluminosilicates having a definite crystalline structure as determined by X-ray diffraction, within which there are a large number of smaller cavities which may be interconnected by a number of still smaller channels or pores. These cavities and pores are uniform in size within a specific zeolitic material. Since the dimensions of these pores are such as to accept for adsorption molecules of certain dimensions while rejecting those of larger dimensions, these materials have come to be known as "molecular sieves" and are utilized in a variety of ways to take advantage of these properties.
Such molecular sieves, both natural and synthetic, include a wide variety of positive ion-containing crystalline aluminosilicates. These aluminosilicates can be described as rigid three-dimensional frameworks of SiO.sub.4 and AlO.sub.4 in which the tetrahedra are cross-linked by the sharing of oxygen atoms whereby the ratio of the total aluminum and silicon atoms to oxygen atoms is 1:2. The electrovalence of the tetrahedra containing aluminum is balanced by the inclusion in the crystal of a cation, for example an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal cation. This can be expressed wherein the ratio of aluminum to the number of various cations, such as Ca/2, Sr/2, Na, K or Li, is equal to unity. One type of cation may be exchanged either entirely or partially with another type of cation utilizing ion exchange techniques in a conventional manner. By means of such cation exchange, it has been possible to vary the properties of a given aluminosilicate by suitable selection of the cation. The spaces between the tetrahedra are occupied by molecules of water prior to dehydration.
Prior art techniques have resulted in the formation of a great variety of synthetic zeolites. The zeolites have come to be designated by letter or other convenient symbols, as illustrated by zeolite A (U.S. Pat. No. 2,882,243), zeolite X (U.S. Pat. No. 2,882,244), zeolite Y (U.S. Pat. No. 3,130,007), zeolite ZK-5 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,247,195), zeolite ZK-4 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,314,752), zeolite ZSM-5 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,886), zeolite ZSM-11 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,979), zeolite ZSM-12 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,449), zeolite ZSM-20 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,983), zeolite ZSM-35 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,245), zeolite ZSM-38 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,859), and zeolite ZSM-23 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,842) merely to name a few.
Aluminum phosphates are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,310,440 and 4,385,994, for example. Aluminum phosphate materials have essentially electroneutral lattices and, therefore, are not useful as ion-exchangers or as catalyst components. U.S. Pat. No. 3,801,704 teaches an aluminum phosphate treated in a certain way to impart acidity.
An early reference to a hydrated aluminum phosphate which is crystalline until heated at about 110.degree. C., at which point it becomes amorphous, is the "H.sub.1 " phase or hydrate of aluminum phosphate of F. d'Yvoire, Memoir Presented to the Chemical Society, No. 392, "Study of Aluminum Phosphate and Trivalent Iron" Jul. 6, 1961 (received), pp. 1762-1776. This material, when crystalline, is identified by the Joint Commission for Powder Diffraction Standards (JCPDS), card number 15-274, and has an X-ray diffraction pattern exhibiting lines of Tables 1A, 1B, and 1C, hereinafter presented. Once heated at about 110.degree. C., however, the d'Yvoire material becomes amorphous.
Silicoaluminophosphates of various structures are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,871. Aluminosilicates containing phosphorous, i.e. silicoaluminophosphates of particular structures are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,355,296 (i.e. ZK-21) and 3,791,964 (i.e. ZK-22).
The phosphorus-substituted zeolites of Canadian Patents 911,416; 911,417 and 911,418 are referred to as "aluminosilicophosphate" zeolites. Some of the phosphorus therein appears to be occluded, not structural.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,748 describes a combination of silica and aluminum-calcium-cerium phosphate as a low acid activity catalyst for oxidative dehydrogenation. Great Britain Patent 2,068,253 discloses a combination of silica and aluminum-calcium-tungsten phosphate as a low acid activity catalyst for oxidative dehydrogenation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,036 teaches an alumina-aluminum phosphate-silica matrix as an amorphous body to be mixed with zeolite for use as cracking catalyst. U.S. Pat. No. 3,213,035 teaches improving hardness of aluminosilicate catalysts by treatment with phosphoric acid. The catalysts are amorphous.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,876,266 describes an active silicophosphoric acid or salt phase of an amorphous material prepared by absorption of phosphoric acid by premolded silicates or aluminosilicates.
Other references teaching aluminum phosphates include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,365,095; 4,361,705; 4,222,896; 4,210,560; 4,179,358; 4,158,621; 4,071,471; 4,014,945; 3,904,550 and 3,697,550. Since their neutral framework structure is essentially void of ion-exchange properties, they are used as catalyst supports or matrices. The crystalline composition of this invention is a molecular sieve composition exhibiting ion-exchange properties and is easily and conveniently converted to material having intrinsic catalytic activity.